NAFDAC Links Ondo Deaths to Methanol-Contaminated Alcoholic Concoctions

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has linked the deaths of 48 people in parts of Ondo State to the consumption of suspected locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions contaminated with toxic methanol.

The agency disclosed this in an update signed by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, saying 182 cases had so far been recorded in the affected communities.

According to NAFDAC, five victims have reportedly suffered total blindness, while two others are partially blind. Ninety affected persons were admitted to hospitals and later discharged, six remained hospitalised, while another 31 received treatment as outpatients.

The affected communities include Odigbo Town, Araromi-Obu, New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo and Oniparaga in Odigbo Local Government Area, as well as parts of Irele Local Government Area.

NAFDAC said the number of reported deaths initially stood at 31, but increased as surveillance and investigations expanded to other affected communities.

The agency said victims presented symptoms including headaches, general weakness and body pain, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness, with some cases deteriorating rapidly.

Fifteen people have so far been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated alcoholic and herbal beverages.

As part of its investigation, NAFDAC conducted toxicological, microbiological and chemical screening on 15 unlabeled samples of the suspected drinks. Acute oral toxicity tests were also carried out on laboratory mice.

The agency said all the samples caused critical illness in the test animals, while approximately 50 per cent mortality was recorded among animals exposed to six of the 15 samples.

Chemical screening also indicated the presence of cannabis in 11 samples, while gas chromatography confirmed high concentrations of methanol.

NAFDAC explained that methanol is highly toxic and can cause severe complications, including blindness, organ failure and death.

It said the combination of the high mortality recorded during animal testing and the confirmed presence of methanol strongly suggested that the samples posed a serious public health risk.

The agency, however, stressed that the findings remained preliminary and that further confirmatory analyses were required. Additional tests are being conducted to determine the precise methanol concentrations and identify any other toxic substances in the drinks.

NAFDAC said surveillance, case management, investigation and risk-control measures remained ongoing, while the reported figures were subject to further verification.